Gender Minister Launches 16-Day Activism Today

The Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia Duncan-Cassell will today launch the 16 Days of Activism, a Campaign Against Gender Based Violence (GBV) as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The 16 Days of Activism will be commemorated under a national theme: “For The Health of Women and The Nation; Take Action To End Ebola and Violence Against Women”

Each year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign provides a rallying point for the governments, NGOs, CBOs and other stakeholders across the country to mount events aimed at raising awareness, influencing behavior change and securing high level political commitment to end gender violence.

The launch and climax dates of the campaign are November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Gender Based Violence and December 10th, Human Rights Day. These dates have been chosen to emphasize that violence against women is a violation of human rights.

This year’s Campaign will focus on the intersection between violence against women and health, using a collective voice as Network members working together on the elimination of Gender Based Violence.

This year marks the 13th commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence Campaign in Liberia. The celebration began in Liberia in 2001 under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender and Development and has been commemorated with series of activities throughout the fifteen (15) Counties.

“Women and girls experience violence in all counties and neighborhoods, but these crimes often remain unreported and hidden. We must end the silence,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Therefore, this year’s 16 Days Campaign in Liberia is a call to action to prevent violence against women.

Violence against women has been a silent epidemic for a very long time, however campaigns to end violence against women and its effect on the Health and well-being of women, families and the Nation has increased.

These campaigns emphasize that women’s rights are human rights and acknowledges the role of patriarchal systems that embody harmful traditions and legal policies that normalize violence against women, and deny women their right to a life of dignity.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection will host a press conference at the ministry’s conference room tomorrow at 11a.m. The 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including: November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women, November 29 International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1World AIDS Day, December 3 International Day of Disabled Persons, December 6 Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, December 10 International Human Rights Day.